Peoples biodiversity registers (pbrs) – a biodiversity impact assessment tool for sustainability of biological resources

People's Biodiversity Register (PBR) is a document which contain comprehensive information on availability, knowledge of local biological resources their medicinal uses, traditional knowledge, geographical coverage, sustainable management of resources, quantification of the resources and serves as an impact assessment tool for developmental activities. PBRs are maintained and prepared in consultation with local people constituted by Biodiversity Management Committees (BMC) at local bodies such as village Panchayats, Taluk’s, Distrricts / Zilla’s, Corporation / Municipalitites. BMC and local support group (LSG) are the custodians of PBRs. Biological Diversity Act (2002) and Rules (2004) establishes Biodiversity Management Committees (BMC) in all local bodies throughout the country for the preparation of People's Biodiversity Registers (PBR). Preparation of PBRs is a scientific activity and serves as a key tool to monitor, document and facilitates knowledge-based management of agriculture, livestock, fish, forests, public health to enhance the quality of life of community members. Documentation should also help prevent loss of grass-root knowledge associated with biodiversity, secure recognition for such knowledge and add value to it for conservation of Biodiversity and related Indigenous traditional knowledge. The total number of PBRs Documented in different states till 17.07.2017 by National Biodiversity Authority is Karnataka with highest number 1970, Gujarat with 957, Madhya Pradesh of 890, Kerala with 854, Tripura with 279 and Andhra Pradesh with only 25. Hence, PBRs should be used as a base to set a standard for Bio-prospecting and there is a need for increasing the number of PBRs at gram Panchay at levels for conservation of Biological resources.